A couple searching for new date night options on a budget. Every week we try somewhere new and now we have decided to share our findings with other couples, new Nashvillians, or anyone who is tired of the same old restaurants. This city has too much to offer in the culinary world to not try them all. Everything we write about will be from a week night date and all will be under a $50 budget. Nashville Restaurants beware...

Thursday, April 21, 2011

As we walked through the first set of doors of Patterson House, we were immediately transported to a time where alcohol was prohibited and speak easy bars were the norm. Once behind the red curtains though, the true journey began.

Our first move once inside was to grab a seat at the bar. The show that the 1920s clad bartenders put on was as much a part of the experience as the rustic drink menu full of classic cocktails and ingredients. As we perused through the lofty choices, we decided to try something we’ve never tried before, as they feature drinks you can't find on any regular menus around town.

The drinks are made strong and with fresh ingredients and most come with a large ice sphere. Made from molds designed specifically for Patterson House, these spheres take 5 minutes each to create and keep drinks the perfect temperature while not watering down. Cole went with one of their most popular drinks, the Bacon infused whiskey. This drink could please even non whiskey drinkers as it is smooth yet strong, with a subtle amount of bacon hints. I went with the champagne cocktail that may sound normal and plain, but The Patterson House put a vintage twist on this classic by adding a touch of bitters.

We also decided to try desserts instead of our normal appetizers, even though they have plenty of food options available. We started out with the S’mores which are made with Nutella chocolate and include strawberries and marshmallows and were the perfect mixture of sweet without feeling heavy. We then moved on to the homemade Cinnamon Sugar doughnuts. I can’t explain these any better than the name already does except to say they are a must try.

A few tips to make The Patterson House a more enjoyable experience:

1. Go early! This is the most important tip as even on a weeknight, past 7:00 you will wait

for a table, and I mean a long wait. Friday and Saturday night, forget about it. PH stays

busy and is quite small.

2. Don’t plan on getting drunk. This is an upscale crowd and noise carries well here. This

is the perfect place for pre-dinner cocktails or after work drinks with friends.

3. Expect to spend money. With no HH, the drinks are pricey ($11) but worth it. Revert back to

tip 2 and just stop in for a quick snack and a few drinks.

With so much to offer, it would take months or a very high tolerance to make it through all of the choices here but if you are looking for a swanky locale and a delicious alcoholic concoction, this is the place to go.